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Canadian National Certification Systems and Plant Quarantine

Carol MastersSidney Laboratory, Centre for Plant Health

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Canadian national certification programs

• Canadian Fruit Tree Export Program (CFTEP) for Malus, Pyrus, Chaenomeles and Prunus (D-08-05)

• Plant Protection Export Certification Program for Grapevine Nursery Stock, Vitis spp. (D-97-06) –under review

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Canadian national certification programs -tree fruit

• Based on:

NAPPO standard RSPM No. 35, Guidelines for the Movement of Stone and Pome Fruit Trees and Grapevines into a NAPPO Member Country

NAPPO standard RSPM No. , The use of integrated measures in a systems approach for pest risk management

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Tree fruit program…

• Administered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

• Voluntary system A requirement for export of tree fruit and grapevine material to the

United States

• Facilities wishing to participate must: Be located in Canada Complete, sign and submit application prior to planting agreeing to

comply to program

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Tree fruit program…

• Stock must originate in Canada with the following exception: Originate from a USDA recognized certification program Must be planted and maintained to generation 4 requirements Can be exported to US only if it meets the USDA requirements 7

CFR 319.37-5(b) Foreign sources (outside US) must be grown in Canada for 2 years

and meet USDA 7 CFR 319.37-5(b)

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Systems approach to certifying facilities

• Integration of several components to mitigate the risk of pests listed in ISPM no. 35. Virus-testing

Documentation of all processes

Field inspection

Isolation distances

Vector control

Labelling

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Facility requirements

• Develop, document and maintain a quality management system (QMS)

• Designate a Pest Control Manager (PCM)

Overall responsibility and authority for developing, maintaining and compliance to the quality management system

• Development of a Pest Management Plan (PMP)

• Prepare a facility inventory declaration and detailed map of cultivar locations

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Facility requirements…

• Record maintenance Complete detail of stock in programs

Dates of newly established blocks

Data from monitoring, control or eradication of pests

Cultural activities

Maps of blocks

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Approval Process

• Completed application and documentation received by CFIA

• QMS and PMP are reviewed prior to visit

• Facility evaluation inspection

• Approval and registration

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Certification Levels

• All propagative material must be derived from 1st

generation virus-tested stock (G1)• Levels of certification: Generation 1 (Nuclear) – Tested and maintained at the CFIA

Sidney Laboratory, Centre for Plant Health or other facility approved in writing by the CFIA

Generation 1A (Pre-elite) Generation 2 (Elite) Generation 3 (Foundation) Generation 4 (Certified) – Grown for retail

• At each stage of propagation, generation level drops

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Production requirements

• Planting sites Restrictions on ground covers

Tested for virus-vectoring nematodes or fumigated

Sites selected to minimize infection of nematodes

• Isolation requirements Buffer zone requirements are dependent on certification level of

block and species

Based on the biology of pests and whether the vector is present

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Production requirements…

• Pest Management Follows PMP and provincial guidelines to control the infestation of

potential virus-vectoring insects

• Sanitation requirements Prevent movement of soil

between blocks

• Containerized plants Permitted for selling at the

G4 level

Soil free growing media

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Inspection and Testing Requirements

• One systems audit peryear

• Minimum of one surveillanceaudit during production season Performed by CFIA personnel

• Regular testing for pollen, insect and nematode vectoredviruses Collected by CFIA personnel Tested at the Sidney Laboratory,

Centre for Plant Health

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Non-compliance

• CFIA has the right to suspend a facility if non-compliances threaten the integrity of the program Detection of quarantinable pest Labelling mix-ups

• Facility informed in writing of non-compliances

• Non-critical non-compliances must be addressed in a timely manner Corrective action agreed to with consultation with CFIA personnel

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Grapevine export program

• Under review • Currently: Not based on NAPPO guidelines QMS and PMP is not required Participants still require to maintain records of origin, planting

information, maps, etc. 4 levels of certification—nuclear, elite, foundation and certified

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Sidney Laboratory, Centre for Plant HealthQuarantine Activities

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Centre for Plant Health - Roles

• To prevent the introduction and spread of plant virus diseases

• National post entry quarantine facility

• Research and scientificsupport for CFIA

• Invasive alien species

Location

• Ideal year-round climate favourable for growth of commercial plants

• Geographical separation from major production areas to safeguard against disease outbreak

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Activities in support of certification programs• Provide post-entry quarantine requirements for and

test non-approved material from foreign sources Fruit tree, grapevine, small fruit

• Test domestic material E.g., Domestic breeding programs

• Provide regular testing forregistered certified facilities E.g., Pollen and nematode

transmitted viruses

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Activities in support of certification programs

• Virus elimination

• Maintenance of virus-tested generation 1(nuclear) stock Tree fruit and grapevines

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Other quarantine activities

• Test approved material from foreign sources

• Provide post entry quarantine requirements for unique plant samples

• Provide testing support for national surveys

E.g., Plum pox virus and grapevine phytoplasma

• Method development and validation in support of testing activities

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